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Pictures courtesy of the Highlanders' Museum

A private of Lovat's Scouts



Source: Under the Union Jack, Vol II

From the City Coins auction, 4 November 2022

QSA (4) Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (36550 Pte W. Dear Lovats Scouts. I. Y.). (This medal has been skimmed and reimpressed upside down);
1915-15 Star (Pte W. Dear Ntl Light Hse.);
BWM and AVM (bilingual) (Pte W. Dear 2nd S.A.I.)

William Dear served in the 113th Coy. I.Y. Lovat’s Scouts and the copied Rolls show entitlement to the Cape Colony two South Africa bars only.

After the Boer War Serjt. William Dear served with the Transvaal Town Police having joined the Transvaal Civil Service on 16 January 1902. 1905 He went on leave to England. Served as Signaller Natal Light Horse from 1 September 1914 to 16 June 1916. Served in France with 2nd SAI and present in Delville Wood.

36745 PRIVATE ALEXANDER MACPHERSON: LOVAT'S SCOUTS (114TH COMPANY IMPERIAL YEOMANRY).

A recent acquisition which I was hoping, after research into the recipient, might reveal a ghillie or a gamekeeper well into his forties but a master of stealth and concealment.

However, this was not to be as he was of the second contingent 114th Company Imperial Yeomanry (not disappointed!) and his biographical details are as
follows.

Alexander MacPherson was born in Rothes, Elgin in the county of Morayshire, right up in the north of Scotland, in around 1868. The census of 1871 has father Duncan (37 born in Edderton, Ross and Cromarty) employed as an agricultural labourer. His mother Helen (36 born in Rothes, Morayshire) also had children John (7), James (0). 4 year old niece Helen J F McIntosh was staying with the Macphersons on census day.
Alexander was very much of highland stock.
He was 33 years old when he attested to Lovat's Scouts at Beaufort Castle on 10th May 1901, and as such was enrolled into the second contingent of the corps, namely 114th Company of the Imperial Yeomanry.
He declared previous service with the Royal Scots Greys, therefore, would have been a competent horseman and would know how to handle a weapon and also be fully conversant with military discipline. A prime recruit in anybody's book.

His peacetime occupation is recorded as Labourer.

Alexander was a fairly well developed man as his vital statistics would imply. He stood 5' 8 1/2" and weighed 168 lbs.(12 stones). His chest measurement was 40"-43", he had a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair.
Presbyterian was his religious denomination.

His total service with Lovat's Scouts was 1 year and 108 days including his voyage to and from South Africa.

His next of kin was his father Duncan MacPherson who resided at number 5 Caledonian Street, Nairn.


Queen's South Africa medal awarded to Alexander McPherson bearing clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 & 1902 as confirmed on the Medal Roll WO100/130.


Regimental number, rank and name impressed to the rim.


Regimental detail impressed to the rim. It was nice to pick up a QSA to the Lovat's Scouts bearing just the unit naming without I.Y. etc.

8721 PRIVATE FRANK FIELD: LOVAT'S SCOUTS

I logged on to the auction platform at Noonans' sale in September 2024 rather late on sale day without the benefit of making prior searches for anything that may interest me and doing the necessary background checks.

However, when the single above mentioned QSA came up, I put in some determined bids on the strength of Frank Field being of the first contingent and possibly being one of the legendary highlanders, expert exponents of field craft. Perhaps a ghillie, gamekeeper, deerstalker! I got the winning bid at, what I felt a most reasonable hammer.

Whilst awaiting my jiffy bag delivery, I made some preliminary searches on Findmypast, Ancestry, Family search etc.

To my surprise, Frank was neither a highlander nor a ghillie etc! All will be revealed as I tell his story.

ATTESTATION
Frank Field attested to the Black Watch for Special Highland Scouting Corps at Beaufort Castle, the family seat of the Lords Lovat, on 9th February 1900.
He was born in the Parish of St. Martin's, , London, Middlesex and was 32 years and 10 months of age, and a Servant by calling.
His vital statistics were as follows:
Height: 5' 8 1/2".
Weight: a sturdy 14 stones.
Chest expansion range: 40 1/2"-41 1/2".
Complexion: rubicund.
Eyes: deep blue.
Hair: dark brown.
Religious denomination: Church of England.
Distinctive marks: second and third fingers of left hand mutilated.

MILITARY SERVICE HISTORY
Home: 09/02/1900 to 10/03/1900.
South Africa: 11/03/1900 to 13/08/1901.
Home: 14/08/1901 to 20/08/1901.

NEXT OF KIN
Mrs. Mackenzie,
2150 Log Street,
Bambaulton,
Calumet,
Michigan,
U.S.A.

He was a sturdily built chap, but had no apparent highland or military experience. SO how did he come to be a member of the Lovat's Scouts?

A LIFE OF SERVICE
Further research has revealed that at the time of his attestation, Frank had been in service to an officer in the Grenadier Guards for around 17 years. This officer was one Edward Charles Ellice who inherited his father's (Edward Ellice) vast highland estate at Invergarry, Inverness. Edward was also born in London in 1858, and so not technically a highlander either!

Frank was not a serving guardsman, and I make the logical assumption that he was a gentleman's servant to Edward Charles Ellice at his London lodgings.

I would strongly assume that Edward would make visits to his father's estate during the shooting and salmon fishing seasons and would be accompanied by his faithful servant. Here would be where the knowledge of highland sporting life would have been learned by a Londoner.
Edward Charles Ellice was to serve as a Lieutenant in Lovat's Scouts rising in rank to Captain by his return to Invergarry.
I have often seen quoted that the Scouts had seven weeks military training before setting off for South Africa. However, Frank's initial period of service at home is just 30 days. Perhaps as an officer's servant he was exempt from much of the military training as he would certainly have known about 'guards' discipline and standards already?

The first contingent avoided serious mishap and revolutionised scouting in the British army, with men often remaining in concealment while observing Boer movements and dispositions over a period of days. Once vital information was gathered, they would return to friendly lines to submit highly detailed, accurate reports.
Just how much of this activity Frank and Lt. Ellice were involved with is unknown, but Lovat's Scouts were at the van of all this adventure so I like to think that they did their share.

On their return to Invergarry, the local inhabitants and employees on the estate turned out in droves to give Edward and his servant a hero's welcome.

8721 Private Frank Field was discharged at Beaufort Castle on 20th August 1901. All personal details remained the same as at attestation. He was part of No. 1 Company Lovat's Scouts (which may reveal more about his movements with a little more research).His character was 'excellent' and his qualifications for civilian life was 'Butler'.
His intended place of residence given as 'c/o. Capt. Ellice, Invergarry, Inverness.'



Edward Charles Ellice, Grenadier Guards officer, Lovat's Scouts officer, author, and looking every inch the Laird of the Invergarry estate.

The next reference to Frank Field is on the 14th January 1925, when a Francis Field, a valet, aged 58 and born in the year 1867 was listed as a passenger aboard the ship SS 'Homfric' from Southampton bound for New York. He appears to have been in possession of an Immigration Visa and on his way to a Mr. Chubb, Glen Cove, Long Island, U.S.A.
His next of kin Mrs. Mackenzie was in Michigan (perhaps a sister) and maybe he spent the rest of his life in America?


Queen's South Africa medal awarded to 8721 Private Frank Field bearing clasps Cape Colony, Wittebergen and South Africa 1901.


Officially impressed number, rank and naming to the rim.


Officially impressed regimental naming to the rim. Please note the inverted apostrophe.


An aerial view of Invergarry House, now renamed the Garry Castle Hotel.

Moranthorse
Always good to see that another Lovat Scouts QSA has survived. The unit is an interesting one and its participation during the operations in the Brandwater Basin (clasp "Wittebergen") - which resulted in the surrender of over 4,000 Boers - was praiseworthy.
Rather surprisingly, and given the most blue of Highland blood provided many officers, these seems to have been no published history of Lovat's Scouts during the Boer War. There are a couple of general histories of the unit (encompassing ABW, WW1 and WW2) but nothing more specific. However, The Times History contains a number of references to LS and I suppose a trawl of the local Highland newspapers may bear fruit.
It would be very helpful to see an ABW history of Lovat's Scouts along the lines of Robin Droogleever's "Thorneycrofts 'Unbuttoned'" or "Five Good Squadrons".
Very useful background to LS can be found in the Hansard report from 1904; attached by David Biggins to an earlier contribution on this post. Lord Roberts may not have been aware of Lovat's being "Scouts"; however, General Hunter knew very well of their usefulness and publicly said so.
Regards
IL.